Money is tight and anyone looking to make a bit of money in 2009 should be seriously taking a long, hard look at what is the best place to invest. With last year being such a bloodbath for anyone with a bit of money to spare, perhaps it is time to look at more unorthodox ways of investing money.

After all, below is what would have happened to your money if you had invested it traditionally last year:

SAVINGS ACCOUNTS

There is no such thing as a stable bank savings account, as savers with the Icelandic banks – particularly Icesave – found to their cost at the end of this year. The UK, along with many other governments worldwide, have promised to honour people’s savings if a bank goes bust – but only up to £50,000.

The best rate currently available is the 4% at ING Direct, but only 2% of that is guaranteed and, with interest rates likely to fall, most experts are predicting that 2.5% is likely to be the mean for savers this year.

Breakdown

Investment: £100,000
Return: 2.5% = £102,500
Tax?: 10% on interest in UK = £102,250
Net profit: £2,250

HEDGE FUNDS

Ooh, you don’t want to do that. The average LOSSES for hedge funds was 18.3% last year. That means that if you had given a hedge fund your £100,000 to look after you would only get back £81,700, and that’s only if the hedge fund allows you to take it out. Most hedge funds still standing are offering investors who ask for redemptions shares in the hedge fund, meaning your earnings will be directly tied to the performance of the hedge fund, no matter how badly it does. And that isn’t good news for 2009. Experts say that hedge funds are likely to suffer worse losses in 2009 as people rush to Government bonds and gold in the wake of a deepening recession.

Then there’s funds like Bernard Madoff’s ‘Ponzi scheme’. Investors with Madoff are likely to get nothing but a high-profile court case for their money.

Breakdown
Investment: £100,000
Return: -18.3% on average = £81,700
Tax?: None likely. Most hedge funds are offshore
Net loss: £19,300

SHARES

For years investing on the stock markets has been seen as a surefire way to get rich. But in the current downturn that theory has been blown out of the window. In the UK last year, the FTSE 100 – the main index for shares on the London Stock Exchange – fell a whopping 31.3% in 2008. If you had looked at shares abroad, you’re money would not have been much better served and, in some cases, you would have come off much worse. In Shanghai (China) stocks fell 65%, in the US stocks lost 34% of their value, Germany they were down 40.4%, Hong Kong 48.3%, Singapore 49.2%, Tokyo 42.1%, the list goes on and on.

While many are expecting a bounce in stock prices in 2009, we are currently in a bear market, which means that shares are not stable: if they do go up, they are just as likely to come down again. Experts predict that the best strategy for investing in stocks is to invest in short-term bursts as good news filters through and have a direct line to your stockbroker. It’s going to be a bumpy ride in 2009!

Breakdown
Investment: £100,000
Return: -31.3% in UK = £68,700
Tax?: No Capital Gain Tax to be paid on losses
Net loss: £31,300

GOVERNMENT BONDS

Long known as one of the safest forms of investment, Bonds are rarely defaulted on because governments don’t go bust – at least they never used to. Iceland, Ireland and Portugal are desperately trying not to buck that trend.

They usually offer a very small return because of their safety, but they are seen as they stand-out place to put your money next year. The best rate on offer is 4.65%, but beware, if stocks rebound that is likely to fall.

Breakdown
Investment: £100,000
Return: 4.65% = £104,650
Tax?: First £9,600 exempt under Capital Gains Tax
Net gain: £4,650

GOLD

Whenever things look bad in the global economy, gold always looks gold. It’s an historical thing. The clue to gold’s popularity is engrained in the bank notes in your pocket. Take out a £5, £10, £20 or £50 not and on the top appear the words: Promise to pay the bearer the sum of…”. Money, after all, is only a promissory note – a promise to pay the equivalent amount. Equivalent what? Well, gold, of course. Take a fiver into the Bank of England and hand over the note and they are honour bound to change it for the equivalent in gold. It’s often forget in good times when credit (trust) is not an issue, but in these tough times people want to see their wealth, and that means gold becomes flavour of the month.

Last year gold was unsurprisingly the best performing commodity in the world markets. At one point it reached over $1,000 in spot price, but has since fallen back to around the $850. The return in 2008 depended on where you were in the world, because the gold price can be a little complex: they are tied to currencies. In dollars, which is what gold is traded in, gold rose 4% on the year. Most experts, as the crisis deepens are expecting gold to push up to and above the $1,000 mark, which will represents a 15% return.

But be warned, because gold is tied to currencies and currency prices directly affect exports from the home country of said currency, governments often try to manipulate the gold price to keep their currency honest. This means that the gold market is not a level playing field, and hasn’t been for years.

Breakdown
Investment: £100,000
Return: 4% = 104,000
Tax?: First £9,600 exempt under Capital Gains Tax
Net gain: £4,000

PROPERTY

The reason why we’re in this mess in the first place, the property bubble burst with such magnitude last year that the mess infiltrated every corner of the global economy. Looking at property experts predictions at the start of 2008 was a lesson in itself: they predicted anything up to a 10% gain in UK property prices over the year. Even the most pessimistic were way off. One experts was vilified for suggesting that prices will fall 5%. Even that was way off the mark as property prices tumbled on average 15% for the year. The same experts predict that there will be a similar fall in prices next year before a recovery in 2010. All in all, the boat has well and truly sailed on making money on property speculating – don’t even think about investing here.

Breakdown
Investment: £100,000
Return: -15% = £85,000
Tax?: Tax? First £9,600 exempt under Capital Gains Tax
Net loss: £15,000

A QUESTION OF TRUST

Of course, things are likely to improve in time. Despite the doom and gloom merchants, the global economy is being predicted to improve by 2010. But the turmoil of the last year and the next few years will linger longer in the memory. People will be scrutinising who has their money, what expertise (if any) they have to grow their money, what track record they have to grow wealth – and what they plan to do with it when they have it.

As soon as people saw their money, they started looking for alternative investments. But the alternative investments they looked at were not alternative at all, they were strictly traditional ways of pushing for a return. We’re talking wine, art, stamp collecting, hobbies etc..

Problem is: these are influenced by the same supply and demand factors as all the investments above. Namely, if nobody wants them because they don’t have much money spare, then their value will go down, ergo their price will go down. It turned out (quelle surprise) that their value has been going up for years because rich people had made a lot of money investing in hedge funds and shares and property and were flush for money. Now they’re not so flush with money, they no longer want, or can afford, a wine cellar or expensive frippery for their walls.

This is why I believe that a new investment avenue is needed, although one that fits in to precious models.

Ask yourself the question: what is the difference between investing in shares and putting money on the horses or a football match? Anyone City trader will tell you that the only obvious difference is that shares do go down, but you will always get some return for your investment, while a bet, if it loses has no return at all.

Of course, this is true if you put all your money on one horse or the outcome of one match. Likewise, only a stupid investor in shares will put all their money into one company (unless they know something they shouldn’t).

What if I was to tell you that it is more than possible, it is probable to make healthy returns on a regular investment on football matches.

It is done in the same way that someone would invest in shares: with expert knowledge of the market (stock, betting); close study of form (of companies, of teams); and a good system.

The only fundamental difference between the two, if both are done properly is that the outside forces involved in a football match (crowd, players, referee etc..) are far less volatile than the pressure on a share price (shares in other companies, decisions by governments, natural disasters, bad management, hostile bids, even short selling).

People have trusted City traders for years: why do football tipsters get such a bad rap?

It’s all done with mirrors and, to some extent, via reputations. Fact is, throughout history traders have got governments out of a lot of holes. Plus, a lot of very rich people have an interest in getting as many people interested in shares. The more people they can get to invest in their vehicles, the more they make on their money. Which leads me to believe that sport is actually a lot safer place to speculate. The outcome is more random, but there are less variables and, with the right knowledge someone could make money.

In fact, a lot of people do. As I’ve said before on footbet.net 95% of the people who walk into a betting shop walk out losers. That has always meant that 5% of people are winners – of those a portion are regular and professional gamblers.

These people know what they are doing, they have a strategy and they stick with it, and they play the long game: never chasing winnings, never betting emotionally.

To the professional football gambler, betting is THE alternative investment.

Footbet.net season breakdown (6 months up to 16/01/09)
Amount invested: £94,500
Return: £99,378.50
Tax?: No tax, the bookie pays it for you
Net gain: £4,878.50
Percentage gain: 5.16%

The multi-annual onslaught of jewelry ads has resumed in full force for what may be the biggest jewelry event of each year: Valentine’s Day. According to every ad I read or hear, “every woman” likes jewels. Well, I”m a woman, but I don’t like jewels. I have no attraction to gold, silver, or things that sparkle.

I fully respect other women’s right to like jewelry, but I’d like to have my own choice respected. I’m tired of hearing men, and other women, on TV, in the magazines, on the radio, telling us all over and over what EVERY woman wants, as if I’m somehow not a woman, or that what I want from a relationship is overruled by what the majority of women may want.

At a party once, I was talking with two friends, one of whom had been in the jewelry business a long time. In retrospect, I know she was the wrong person to ask, but thinking we would have an intelligent discussion, I asked her what she thought was the attraction to jewelry. With a slightly annoyed tone, she replied “Wait until a man gives you jewelry. Then you’ll understand.”

Well, I’m not new to dating, so I have gotten jewelry from men before. I was given my first real jewelry many years ago when my first boyfriend gave me an opal ring and a matching necklace. Actually, I did think opals were nice…..to look at. But, like many things of beauty that I see, I don’t have to wear them or own them to appreciate them. Every flower I see growing in the ground is beautiful, as is the ocean, but I don’t want to take any of that home. My inner silent reaction toward the opal ring and necklace was a mixture of wonder at the beauty in nature, and disappointment over knowing I’d be expected to wear it. I managed, I think, to hide that disappointment. And I did appreciate getting a gift.

My then-boyfriend and I ran, swam laps, hiked in the mountains, skiied, and rode hundreds of miles together on our bicycles. He knew I loved all that, and told everyone that he was thrilled to have found a woman with whom he could do those things. When and where was I going to wear delicate opals?

I will give him credit. Before the jewelry, on my birthday a few months earlier, I came home from work one evening and saw him in the garage. Walking through the garage into the house, I noticed a brand new mountain bike sitting in the garage. Thinking it was his, I walked past it, but he stopped me. The bike was for me! What a thing of beauty it was, AND I could actually DO something fun with it!!

It was several years before I dated the next man who gave me expensive jewelry. By this time, I had gotten enough unwanted jewelry that I learned to tell men fairly early on not to give me jewelry. It was an art to figure out how to ease it into the conversation without sounding presumptuous. I imagine that, for some men, it’s like hearing a woman say, “by the way, I don’t ever want you to show that you like me.” Well, of course, I want a man to show he likes me (unless he doesn’t), but jewelry doesn’t indicate that to me. It shows me that he is aware of a formula that is supposed to work. He knows what society has told him women want, so he doesn’t think he needs to listen to me tell him what I want. So, I decided that anytime I saw an ad for jewelry, which isn’t hard to find, I’d turn it into cultural commentary on advertising, and mention to the man I’m dating how disappointed I was when I was given jewelry in the past.

So, when this guy I’d dated for only four months bought a diamond necklace and earrings for me at Christmas, I was stunned. I had already gone though the ad commentary with him, and mentioned my disappointment in getting jewelry previously. So, why was he giving me this?, I wondered. It was not only jewelry, but it wasn’t my style. This time, I struggled with my disappointment. I had TOLD him, I thought, so it was sort of slap in the face. Was he that poor of a listener? I decided not to make an issue of it, and wore it, pseudo-proudly, when he and I went to a holiday party a week later.

I know someone reading this is furiously pounding her (or his) desk right now, yelling at me that “it’s the thought that counts!” Or maybe “you just don’t know how to appreciate gifts from a man; you don’t deserve them!”

I refer you to my above words. I agree; it IS the thought the counts. But, when a man does something for me that OTHER women in his past, or on TV, wanted, then he ISN’T thinking. Or, at least, he isn’t thinking about ME. And am I not the one who’s wants are supposed to matter to him?

I’m neither cruel nor vicious. I have accepted every gift from every man graciously, whether I wanted it or not. But if it isn’t what I want, and he has heard me say it, I mark it as a red flag. And, in my experience, that has served me well.

About three months after getting the diamond earrings and necklace, I broke up with that guy, but it was not about the jewelry at all. I had come to recognize that he was trying to force me to become someone else. Like many couples, we were dating each other, but each wanted someone else….not someone in particular, but just someone other than us. He refused to do activities I liked, so I went alone. So, we did the two activities he liked (drinking wine and making dinner), never wavering from his regimen, except, of course, for physical intimacy. He wasn’t happy with who I was, and he was doing everything he could to “mold” me into someone else. Rather than pretend to be that person to please him, or try to change him to please me, I finally told him I thought we should date others.

I was surprised to see tears flowing down the face of a man who I knew had never really wanted me anyway. But, his sad reaction was made more odd by the fact that I had told him many times before that I believe no one should ever date just one person at a time. Being with only one is called marriage. Doing that while dating makes people do what we ended up doing: relying too much on that one person to fulfill our expectations. Baffled at his tears, I asked whether he remembered me saying that. His response was: “Yes, I remember. I just didn’t think you meant it.”

Ditto for the jewelry. He didn’t think I meant it when I said I don’t want jewelry. I.E., he chose not to see the aspects of me that he didn’t want to be true…..and there were many.

Later, I offered to give him back the necklace and earrings, but he said I should keep them. I went from jeweler to jeweler, trying to find someone who would buy them. I had gone to the store where he bought the set (I still had the box it came in) and found it, so I knew how much it cost him. The quotes I got for it were absurdly low, so I eventually chose to put it on consignment. The consignment store owners were disorganized. They priced it at half the original value, and threw away the box it came in, displaying it in a heap on a glass shelf among other jewelry where it was barely visible. Later, when I went to pick up my check for it, they told me it had not sold within 30 days, so they marked it down to half price, of which they gave me only half.

The money I got was barely worth the trouble.

I don’t HATE jewelry. In fact, I have some, mostly from old boyfriends, but I have two inexpensive necklaces I bought myself, and some costume jewelry bracelets and rings my mom gave me from her extensive collection of jewelry (she has jewelry in drawers and jewelry boxes all over their house). I tend to view jewelry, however, as something I prefer to buy for myself, like clothes. I have a style, and a pinkish pale skin tone that doesn’t match well with light colored jewelry like gold or silver or diamonds. And, as I’ve said, sparkly doesn’t attract me; it seems very little girlish. I prefer black stones, jade, and muted tones. But, even the jewelry I do have, I forget to wear, or just don’t have time to put it on. I can be a hassle to wear. It takes time to coordinate jewelry when getting dressed. Then it gets in the way during the course of a day or evening, getting caught in things, or making distracting jangling noises. Earrings make my ears turn red, and rings tend to rotate around, so the stone ends up in the palm side of my hand, unless I twist it back to the top constantly.

Okay, so hopefully I’ve convinced some man out there that I really mean it when I say I don’t want it as a gift.

And hopefully the next time a woman tells a man she doesn’t want jewelry, he will listen. And get her something SHE wants.

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(1) Gold is NOT a good long term investment.

(2) Let’s take a quick look at the Gold. Gold has been around for a long time. It has multiple uses:

a. Ornamentation. (Jewelry)

b. Industrial uses. Many green technologies use small amounts of gold, and since there are many emerging green technologies, these small amounts will add up to larger amounts. This is a typical supply and demand function and there will always be a manageable level of gold supply to meet industrial demand. There are no shortages even at today’s historic high prices of gold. This economic fact alone should be sufficient to keep you away from gold. Why would you invest in gold when there seems to be plenty to go around for industrial use, not to mention sufficient supply for jewelry too? You have seen spikes in commodities such as copper, oil, platinum, etc, but the price swing for “gold” has never approached the price swings brought on by the changing demand/supply like you see in other commodities.

c. Money. Gold has been used for many centuries as “money.” Why? Because it is pretty, it is relatively rare, and it is dense, hence, easy to transport and exchange. Money is a “unit of exchange” and a “store of value.” It has served this function until the 20th Century. Interesting, it no longer is used as Money.

d. Security. Gold is a great medium for security.

i. It is easily stored, accounted for, and transportable.

ii. It can be taken with you (unlike a checking account)

iii. Cash can be taken with you, but the country issuing the cash may not be there when you need it. And, your bank may not be either.

iv. So, it is nice to be able to look in your pocket, sock, or underwear and see, feel, smell and touch it.

v. There are clearly reasons to have your assets in Gold if you are in a country with any type of instability (political or financial). But, this analysis is written for those of you who are not in such countries. More about this later.

e. That leaves on other thing for which Gold can serve a Purpose: Investment.

(3) Why is Gold a Bad Investment?

a. There are Many Reasons so it is important to analyze all of them. Fortunately, in support of my position, all of them suggest that gold is a bad investment.

b. If you had purchased gold

i. In 1935 for $35 per once your current return on your investment would be 5.35% annual return based on Gold’s current price of approximately $1,250.

ii. In 1980 for $875 per once your current return on your investment would be about 1.25%

iii. Are these the types of returns that you want? I don’t think so. What makes you think Gold will appreciate at higher rates?

iv. Gold would have to be selling at $2,200 per once in 2010 to have kept pace with inflation from 1980.

c. There is a Fine Wine Phenomenon in Gold. The price of a fine red wine keeps appreciating, finally reaching an astronomical price. After having paid a few thousand dollars for the pricey, famous bottle of Ajax Red, the Wine Investor decided to try the Wine for which he paid so much. The Wine Investor then opened the Bottle with much fanfare and tasted the rich wine. “This is Terrible announced the Purchaser.” The Seller replied, “That wine is for Investing, not drinking.” The same can be said of gold.

d. Most Proponents of Gold Investments has a vested interest in Gold. They want the price to go up, and they want you to want the price to go up. But it will not!

e. Gold for Investment has no functionality. Buy a house (and I am not suggesting that you buy a house) you can use the house and derive some income for the rent (you may still lose money on your investment but the Asset in your possession does produce income. The same is true of Stocks which pay dividends, bonds and annuities that pay interest, and bank accounts that also pay interest. Gold just sits there. It is your money in the Gold and it just sits there. The only way you benefit is if the price increases. And, the price must increase by more than your cost of funds, your alternative investments, and your opportunity cost. And, it must be the inflation rate too. Those a big Challenges for the Gold Fellow.

f. And, if you are an American, gold is taxed as a capital asset… so it is tax disadvantaged (This is not a small matter, but proponents and pundits either forget or ignore this fact).

g. In order to win at Gold, one and/or many of the following has to occur

i. Significant inflation (then you are a winner)

ii. Political unrest and your country becomes unstable (then you are a winner, but only if you have the gold in your possession and are able to get in where you want to be)

iii. The only other possibility for you is for there to be a

1. Dramatic shift upward in the demand function. Now this could happen. Both g(i) and g(ii) above cause rapid and rightward shifts in the demand function. But absent I, and ii, your only hope is that there is an

a. Increase in the demand for jewelry or some unmet industrial or commercial need for Gold. I submit that this is NOT likely. If you think it is, tell me “why?”

2. Dramatic shift downward and to the left of the supply function. A shortage of Gold. The Gold Pundits love to talk about the shortage of “Gold” and then impending shortage of “Gold.” Well, if you have $1250 today you can buy as many ounces as you want… and if the price increases, more gold mines will (a) reopen and (b) more gold will be found.

(4) Let’s also look at The Reality of Gold as an Investment.

1. Does Buffet and Group own Gold? No, but maybe they are wrong this time.

2. Do Sovereign Funds own Gold? Answer, No! With small exceptions. And most Sovereign Funds represent Countries with a Fondness of Gold. Go Figure.

3. And, get this one. China’s Central Bank is managed by four PhD’s and a Chinese Businessman. Interestingly, all four PhD’s are from prestigious American Universities. China has more than $2,000,000,000,000 in American securities with various maturities with average yields of less than 2%. The Central Bank in China has discussed on many occasions converting some of these US Dollar Investments into Gold. They have not. I rest my Case.

(5) Gold is a unique metal, it will always occupy financial discussions (I am not sure “why,” but it will. But there are slim possibilities that you will be making a smart investment if you put your hard earn money into “Yellow Metal.” It only has visual, not financial “luster.”

(6) PS: There may be reasons to have “Gold” if you are (1) in a short term play, but even then, it has never been overly volatile, (2) you want to move some asset secretly (that is your decision), and/or (3) You are you funds are in a volatile or unstable environment.

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Gold parties are very popular in America. Recently, companies in the UK have started promoting the concept of holding gold parties. Gold parties are becoming popular it seems because people are keen to find some extra cash to add to the family pot and maybe more importantly the price of gold has increased dramatically. Gold was priced at £180 an ounce ten years ago, it’s now approximately £610 an ounce. The price of all precious metals is fixed in U.S. dollars twice a day, and then converted into pounds.

But what is a gold party?

Think of it like a body shop or the pampered chef party, only in reverse. The party host invites their friends, neighbours and family around to their house, asking them to bring along any old, broken and unwanted items of jewellery for valuation. There is also a jewellery appraiser at the party who tests and values each item. If you are happy with the price offered, you are paid on the spot for your gold. The host can of course sell their unwanted gold and they also make a commission on all the gold purchased by the broker. So instead of spending money at the party the guests and the host have an opportunity to make some cash.

Sounds like a great idea? It may well be ideal for you and your friends but there are a number of issues to consider before you start searching the back of your jewellery box or attic for those unwanted pieces of gold.

So, yes, gold parties are appealing, they’re a great excuse to enjoy a few glasses of wine and socialize with your girlfriends, but you may you may or may not get fair value for your gold. Usually, people are so desperate that they think whatever money they get is fantastic.

The advice would be, seller beware, and do your homework. Visit as many places as you can before you go to a gold party, have your gold sorted, and weighed before you go. Write down the prices you got from a jewellery store, and then if you get more at the gold party sell.

Another problem encountered in America has been that of disreputable gold buyers using scales and even calculators that have been tampered with. The best way to avoid this is to use a reputable company that you trust and remember to keep your wits about you.

The advice would be only to accept cash for your gold. If you take a cheque payment and then the cheque does not clear you may well find yourself with no gold and no profit either.

Jewellery with precious stones can also cause problems. The value of the stone is not normally included in the price offered. To avoid losing out you could have the stone removed prior to the party, although this is not always practical.

If gold parties become as popular as they are in America there will soon by many companies offering this service. Until this time, if you want to host a gold party then a local independent jeweller who buys second hand gold should be to help.

Gold parties.

The pagan origins of Christmas don’t bother most people. They think of it as simply the day that we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Some folks don’t think that Jesus Christ was born in December on Christmas Day any more than they think that the winter solstice was related to his birth. After all, the shepherds were in the fields. (Meaning: Shepherds are not out tending sheep in the wintertime.)

We Mormons, who know just everything, know that Christ was born on April 6, the day we hold our General Conference.

Anyway, Mysterious Wise Men–who were promoted to kings and given names in the Middle Ages–delivered gifts to the Christ Child. Learn about the Wise Men at: http://www.royalty.nu/history/religion/Magi.html

The Bible doesn’t say how many Wise Men there were, but the Middle Age folks could only think of three good names. The names given were Balthasar, Gaspar (or Casper), and Melchior.

I think a good fourth name would have been Fraunalon. According to Google®, that name has not been taken.

A town in Wyoming was named after either Gaspar (Casper) or someone else.

Actually it was named after Fort Casper which was named for Lieutenant Casper W. Collins. (Fort Collins already existed in Colorado and was named after Lt. Collins’ father, William Collins.”) See: http://www.rootsweb.com/~wynatron/HistoricalPlaces.htm

Casper has a gay mayor who is not Vice President Cheney’s mysteriously pregnant daughter. Dick Cheney was born in Lincoln, Nebraska but he grew up in Casper. Read about Casper at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casper,_Wyoming

Like I said, Casper Wyoming was not named after one of the Wise Men no matter what anyone else tells you.

I think that it would be a nice Wise-Men jester to rename the Tri Cities in the state of Washington’s Wine Country. Kennewick, Pasco and Richland would become Balthasar, Gaspar (or Casper), and Melchior. See: http://www.visittri-cities.com/

(I preferred to use the Quad Cities. If only the Middle Age name-givers had added Fraunalon.)

Kennewick means Winter Haven and is the home of the famous 9200 year-old Kennewick Man, the deceased friend of my good friend, Big Foot. See the movie at: http://www.kennewick-man.com/

The Wise Men bestowed expensive gifts on the Child that hardly needed them: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. There is no record as to what happened to these gifts. Maybe Mary and Joseph donated them to the Temple Priest and took it as an income tax deduction.

Omani frankincense is best so I suppose that is what the Wise Men brought. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankincense

As for myrrh, it was priced by the Romans as five times more costly than frankincense and more precious than gold. The word means “bitter” according to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrrh

The carat or karat of the gold would have been 24, no doubt. Gold less than 10 carat can not be sold as “gold” in the United States and I doubt that it would have passed at Bethlehem. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carat

So, the Wise Men gave fine gifts and that is what we do too at Christmas time. I think it is one heck of a good idea if we don’t go into debt up to our necks and suffer the rest of the year.

(What you already did that this year? Created a huge debt? Well it is good for the economy and all those greedy bankers who charge exorbitant interest rates on credit card charges. Just remember not to do it again next year.)

When giving, remember the Christ Child that promises the greatest gift of all.

Merry Christmas from Taylor Jones, the hack writer!

The End

Copyright©2006 John Taylor Jones, Ph.D.

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After you’ve gone to the church to have the baby’s christening ceremony it’s customary to celebrate with a small party at home or at some other business. You can usually find a place for the party that is suitable but that doesn’t mean you’ll have an easy time figuring out what kind of decoration is suitable for the party. Since it’s a religious event that you are celebrating you may wish to have a more dignified atmosphere at the party.

A brunch party can often be a good idea and a great way to relax before or after the ceremony. The food served at the brunch is light and easy on the stomach, plus you can make up much of the food beforehand and serve it slightly chilled at the party. A white wine can also be served at the brunch.

The color theme can be just about anything you want to use, but its traditional that the baby wear a white christening gown so you may want to use white streamers, balloons, plates and napkins with just a light accent of gold trim or yellow trim. A popular theme to use at religious events is doves, and bibles and even crosses. So you may want to pick up some wall hangings of doves and crosses. Candles can add to the atmosphere of your brunch party, especially if you light theme and place them on a buffet where guests can serve themselves.

Good party favors to give as gifts at the party are usually personal keepsakes that the friends and family can use to help them remember the special event. A small picture frame with a picture of the baby set in it can be an excellent and inexpensive gift to give. You can also give the gift of a white vanilla scented candle to the guests.

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